Watt-hour meter installation



Aug. 23, 1938. v

P. E. HILLS WATT HOUR METER INSTALLATION Filed March 6, 195'! INVENTOR Pau/ E. H/Hs WITNEZSES:

ATT N EY Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATT-HOUR METER INSTALLATION of Pennsylvania Application 'March 6, 1937, Serial No. 129,450

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a mounting for watt hour meters and more specifically to an improved mounting for a watt hour meter of the detachable type in combination with a protective device for the metered circuit.

Watt hour meters of the detachable type are shown, for example, in United States Patent No. 1,969,499, issued August '7, 1934 to Bradshaw, et al., and comprise an encased meter element having contact blades projecting from the base thereof for cooperation with contact sockets or jaws mounted in a receptacle or casing upon which the meter is to be supported.

It is an object of the present invention to add to the base or receptacle, of the general character shown in said patent, a second receptacle or box for containing a fusible protective element to be connected into the meter circuit. The construction is particularly adapted for mountingmeters in isolated places such as for rural electriflcation circuits.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the aceompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view partly in section, and with parts broken away, of a meter mounting in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a fusible element and support therefor to be used with the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in section, with portions broken away, of a meter mounting with fuses taken at right angles to the view in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the circuit connections to the various contact blades and fuses of a meter mounting in accordance with the invention.

- Referring to Fig. 1, the meter mounting comprises a substantially circular receptacle 2 of cupshape having a peripheral flange 4 proportioned to confront a flange of similar dimensions on the base of the watt hour meter and be clamped thereto by suitable means.

The receptacle 2 contains a pair of terminal blocks 6 suitably secured to the back or bottom of the receptacle 2 in the position shown. Each block 6 is provided with terminal jaws 8-two in the present embodiment-connected by conducting strips l0 and I2 with terminals I4 to which the circuit conductors are to be connected. This general construction is shown and described in greater detail in Patent No. 2,066,300, issued December 29, 1936, and further description herein is not considered necessary.

A fuse box 20 having one wall thereof shaped to conform to the exterior wall of the receptacle 2 is suitably secured to the receptacle as by screws 22 tapped into such wall of the receptacle. The box 20 is provided with depending front, back and side walls and an open bottom through which 6 access may be had to the interior of the box.

Fuse clips 24 are secured to the base of the box 20, or the top wall in the position shown in Fig. 1, in any suitable manner and are electrically connected to terminal screws 26. The top of the box 10 is provided with an enlarged aperture substantially registering with the interiorly extending nipple 28 of the receptacle 2.

The bottom of the fuse box may be closed by a plate 30 having spring clips 32 secured thereto 15 for receiving cartridge fuses 34, the terminals 38 of which may rest upon bosses 38 formed on the face of the plate.

In order to close the box 20 it is merely necessary to move the plate 30 into a position in which 20 the terminals 36 of the cartridge fuses are received in the fuse clips 24 in the box 20. This resilient engagement of the fuse terminals and fuse clips maintains the closure plate in operative position completing the circuit through the 25 fuse between the fuse clips 24 and their terminals 26.

The fuse. plate 30 may be sealed in position to discourage unauthorized tampering with, or removal of, the fuses, in any desired manner as by 30 bolt 39 extending through depending l-ugs formed. integral with the end walls of the fuse box 20. A wire-and-wafer seal may then be applied to the end of the bolt as indicated in Fig. 1.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, two fuses may be provided and a barrier 40 may be interposed between them; such barrier being of the same material as the base, which is preferably of a molded insulating material.

It will be noted that the closure plate 30 is 40 slightly smaller in lateral dimensions than the opening in the box 20 so that when in operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, the plate is Within the area defined by the walls of the box to render the interior of the latter substantially weather- 45 tight.

Referring to Fig. 4, the diagrammatic connections within the receptacle and to the fuses is indicated, the potential coil 42 of the watt hour meter and the current coils 44 being indicated in 5 dotted lines. The connections shown are for a three-phase installation, two sides of the circuit going through the meter in series with the current coils 44, then through the respective fuses 34 and back to the circuit. The potential coil,

circuit; Of course other types of circuit may require more or less than two fuses, but modifications in the connections and arrangement of parts from that herein disclosed should be obvious.

In accordance with the invention, a compact and efllcient arrangement of meter support and protective fuse installation has resulted. It is economical in construction and is of such character that the receptacle for the fuses may readily be added to existing unfused meter receptacles at a minimum of cost. Further, the fuses themselves are properly enclosed in weathertight relation in a manner to require a minimum of parts. Quite obviously, modifications may be made in the construction specifically described, but it is intended that no limitations be imposed on the invention except by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mounting for a watt hour meter of the type having contact blades projecting from the base thereof, a receptacle oi cup-shape having contact Jaws mounted therein for receiving said blades and the open side thereof being proportioned to be closed by said meter base, an opening in a side of the receptacle, and means for mounting said receptacle upon a support; a fuse housing having one side thereof shaped to conform to the side of the receptacle and having an opening therethrough registering with the openof course, is connected across two wires of the ing in the side of the receptacle, means for securingsaid housing to the receptacle tobe solely supported thereby, said receptacle having an open side opposite to said registering openings, a closure for said open side, fuse clips secured within said housing, electrical connections between said clips and certain of said terminal Jaws, a weathertight closure for said open side of the housing having fuses secured thereto for cooperation with said fuse clips to retain the closure in operative position, and means for sealing said closure against unauthorized removal thereof.

2. As an article of manufacture, a terminal chamber of substantially cup-shape having contact terminals therein and a conductor receiving opening through a side wall thereof, a fuse receptacle rigidly secured to said side wall adjacent to said opening to be solely supported by said chamber with the wall thereof confronting said side wall shaped to conform thereto and being provided with a conductor receiving opening therethrough registering with the opening in said side wall, said receptacle having an open side opposite to said confronting wall, fuse terminals secured within said receptacle, a removable closure for said open side and means including a fusible member secured to said closure for retaining it in operative position, and means for sealing said closure against unauthorized removal.

PAUL EDWARD HILLS. 

